The oldest living Yankee, the final survivor of their great teams
of the 1930s, Thomas David Henrich has passed away at the age
of96.

Born in Massillon, Ohio February 20, 1913, Henrich took to playing
baseball often and well at an early age.In April 1937, Commissioner Landis ruled Henrich a free agent after
he had been illegally hidden in the Cleveland farm system. He signed with
the Yankees for a reported $25,000 and made
hisNew York debut on May 11,
1937.

In an eleven year Yankee career Henrich batted .282. In
1948, he led the league in triples and runs scored, batted .308
with 25 homers and 100 RBIs. In 1949, his consistent clutch hitting helped
keep the injury-racked Yankees in the pennant race. In 115 games, he hit
24 homers, drove in 85 runs,
scoring 90 more.

Along
with Joe DiMaggio and Charlie Keller, Henrich formed one of baseball's most
celebrated outfields for the Yankees before and after WWII. Although Henrich
played in only four World Series because of injuries and three years of military
service, he was a key figure in two of the most famous Series games.

In 1949, his ninth inning homer off Don Newcombe of the Dodgers in
Game One gave the Yankees the win and created the atmosphere for a Yankee
world championship. Moments like those inspired Mel Allen to nick-name the
four time All Star "Old Reliable" for a railroad train that was always on
time that ran from Cincinnati through the Yankee announcer's Alabama birthplace
state.

But Henrich will always be remembered most for his role in Game 4
of the 1941 World Series.
It was Sunday baseball at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn before 33,813,
standing room only. Yankees against Dodgers.

The first ball was thrown out by New York Mayor
LaGuardia.The match-up
pittedBrooklyn's Kirby Higbe
against New York's Atley McDonald in the first Subway Series between the
two teams.Higbe and McDonald
were long gone as the game moved to the ninth inning
andBrooklyn's Hugh Casey and
Yankee reliever Johnny Murphy held forth with "Dem Bums" leading
4-3.

Tommy Henrichfaced the
burly Casey. There were two out. The count was three and two.

MEL ALLEN (GAME CALL) "Casey goes into the windup. Around comes the
right arm, in comes the pitch. A swing by Henrich . . . he swings and misses,
strike three! But the ball gets away from Mickey Owen. It's rolling back
to the screen. Tommy Henrich races down toward first base. He makes it safely.
And the Yankees are still alive with Joe DiMaggio coming up to bat."

"That ball broke like
no curve I'd ever seen Casey throw," Henrich remembered. "As I start to swing,
I think, 'No good. Hold up.' That thing broke so sharp, though, that as I
tried to hold up, my mind said, 'He might have trouble with it.'"

Catcher Owen that 1941 season set
theNational League record of
476 consecutive errorless chances accepted was the goat. But there were those
who thought a bit too much spit or other substance came along with the ball
to home plate.

Whatever, the passed
ball shook up Casey. The Yanks scored four times and won the game 7-4 and
the next day won the world championship.

And "Old Reliable" Tommy Henrich, once again in the right place at
the right time, helped the Yankees to another win.